Tenuous
by Kasigi Omi
Summary: A more detailed explanation of why exactly Sirius thought he wasn't the safest choice for Secret Keeper. Slash.


Notes: This is my third HP fic, but the first one I've posted. I can't believe I'm actually writing this stuff. This is SLASH. If you flame, you are being childish and petty, and shouldn't be reading it in the first place. Grow up. The characters aren't mine, though I would love to have Remus and Sirius, just so I could make them play dress up and be cute together.Heh.  
  
  
  
Tenuous  
  
  
  
Sirius Black followed his friend, James Potter, up the porch steps of James' house. He was relatively sure that steam was rising from the top of his head.  
  
He was furious, as he often was these days upon returning from a visit with Dumbledore. He, James and Dumbledore had been working out the last details of the spell that would make Sirius the Potter's Secret Keeper. Time was running short, or so their spy had told Dumbledore, and the spell would need to be completed in the next week or two, at the latest.  
  
That Voldemort was after James and Lily in the first place was enough on its own to upset Sirius, the knowledge that Voldemort had a spy among their most trusted allies was what really made Sirius' blood boil.  
  
And it was a very trusted ally indeed, to have leaked the information that Voldemort had acquired. That meant it had to be one of them. One of the Marauders.  
  
James unlocked the door and greeted his wife and fourteen and a half month-old son, Harry.  
  
Lily smiled at Sirius, and he managed a weak smile in return. "The others are in the living room," she informed them.  
  
The others. The traitor was sitting in the house, unknown and unguarded.  
  
No one was sure exactly who the traitor was. Sirius knew it wasn't James, that would be daft, and he knew it wasn't him. He also knew that no Dark Lord worth their horrid cloak of nightmares would bother to associate with a runt like Peter, which left..  
  
"Hallo, Siri," Remus J. Lupin said softly, meeting Sirius' eyes.  
  
"Oh, Merlin! Why does it have to be him?" Sirius inwardly moaned, feeling as if his heart was breaking. He wished it wasn't so, yet he knew it could be no one else.  
  
All he replied was, "Evenin', Remus." Then he sat himself on the couch beside his friend.  
  
"Where were you two?" Peter inquired.  
  
"Having tea with Albus," James replied, careful to give nothing away.  
  
"That sounds nice," Remus remarked, and Sirius shot him a penetrating look.  
  
"Trying to dig for information, or merely making an innocent remark?" he wondered, then sighed. "Here I am, almost certain he's the one, and I can't even confront him about it. Why is that?"  
  
"Because you're afraid that you're right," supplied a little voice in his head.  
  
"Then we could fish out the traitor and eliminate the danger," he replied, logically.  
  
"But it's Moony," the voice pointed out. "And you know what he means to you."  
  
"But it's Moony," he agreed, his dark eyes meeting the somber eyes of Remus.  
  
"Hey, Moony," he said quietly.  
  
"Padfoot." Remus smiled gently at Sirius, and Sirius flopped over sideways on the couch, resting his head on Remus' leg.  
  
"Tired?"  
  
"No. Just worried."  
  
"Ah."  
  
Remus began running his fingers through Sirius' hair. Sirius smiled softly and began to relax, only to snap his eyes open as an idea occurred to him.  
  
"If Remus is the spy, and he probably is, I can't be the Secret Keeper. All he'll have to do is give me a back rub, or scratch behind my ear, and I'll tell him everything. Maybe Dumbledore, then? No.he's high profile, and in enough danger already. Who then?"  
  
Sirius gazed about the room. James, Lily and Peter were playing with Harry. Remus was stroking his hair, but obviously dozing off. The perfect opportunity to change his plans without Remus noticing.  
  
"Peter,"Sirius decided. "No one will suspect Peter. And Remus need never know we switched."  
  
The days ahead would hold hardships and sorrows for them all, but for that moment, they were still together, and still happy, though their grip on peace was tenuous. 


End file.
